a little too late
by real-csf
Summary: In which Nico nearly dies, gets a surprise visit from Hades, there is an earth-shattering revelation (according to Nico, anyway), and there's a crying Will Solace hugging him. Oh, and also, did he mention being very confused and a kiss?


**Disclaimer: Do I look like Rick Riordan to you?**

He could hear the pounding of feet as he lay there, struggling to breathe.

It was pathetic.

A mop of blond hair pops into his peripheral vision. He's being shaken by Will Solace, he could (still) vaguely hear Solace screaming at him to hang on, and Nico's still not sure how he ended up in this state.

"Nico, stay with me! Please, hang on! Kayla!"

Voices inside his head. Pain. Pain everywhere. And he cannot breathe. Which is a severe predicament, and Nico swears he can hear his heartbeat in his ears, like a slowing beat of a drum.

"Nico! Please, just hang on!"

Will and the rest of the world is starting to blur, his head hurts and he's slipping.

I'm dying, Nico thinks.

He suddenly feels hands on his stomach, right over his bloody wound. Above him, he vaguely hears Will start to hum frantically, and warmth begins to spread through him, but- was that a sob?

Nico's really not sure at this point, he just wants it to end, and he wants to tell Solace to save his breath because he knows he's beyond saving.

It was the stupid dracaenae's fault, anyway.

"Hello, son."

Nico is confused for half a second, because that is not Solace's voice nor any of his friends', but it's extremely familiar. And he realises.

"Dad." Again, he is slightly unsure as to how he manages to speak, because, hello, shouldn't he be dying? Hades looms into view, and Nico can see he's not on the ground bleeding his heart out, he's standing over his body and Solace...well, Solace is doing his best to keep his heart beating.

Nico finds himself to be only mildly surprised. Will is his best friend after all, getting closer than him or anyone else would have thought after the Giant War.

"What are you doing here? I thought Thanatos was the one that came for souls." Nico asks. Hades looks mildly confused, and answers, "Well, I thought you might want to see me instead of him," the god looks at Nico's prone body and Will before snapping his eyes back to Nico's- soul? Consciousness? "Apollo's spawn seems to want you alive."

Nico grumbles. "That would be preferable." Hades hums noncommitally, looking thoughtful. "You know, you're not technically dead yet." "Yet."

"So I could bring you back to life."

Nico knows he probably looks like an idiot right now, his eyes wide and bugging out a little, but in his defense, he hadn't known the god of the dead was going to say that. "What?"

Hades repeats his words. "B-But gods can't intrefere with demigod business. Especially deaths." Nico stutters a little.

The god purses his lips. "Well, you're not dead, which means I'm not going against the laws of death, and theoretically, you are currently dying, which means you are being released from your status as a demigod." He pauses, and then adds, "And I think Apollo's son would greatly appreciate you breathing."

"Since when have you started caring about Will's opinion?"

"Since Apollo approached me one day and told me his son is moping and affecting his whole cabin back at camp, because his spawn is irrefutably in love with you."

Nico doesn't care he just took up a similarity to that of a gaping fish, he's doing it again. "H-He's what?"

His voice comes out as a squeak, he's staring at Hades, his face feels hot, and damn the gods if his heart hadn't just skipped a beat.

Hades snorts. "Yes, I know you're gay, no, I don't mind and yes, he is in love with you." He stops, looking at the kneeling blond. "Can't say I approve completely, but he isn't that scoundrel Jackson, and he seems to make you happy."

Nico's face doesn't just feel hot, it's on fire.

After the Giant War, word spread that Nico was less than straight. Most of the camp knew, and most campers didn't care or supported him.

Nico didn't think it'd get back to his dad though.

After some open-mouthed gaping, he takes a deep breath. "So...you'd send me back?" he asks tentatively. Hades smiles a little, and than waves his hand.

Nico's shadow-traveled many times in his life. It always felt rather odd, like something was jerking you around on a pitch-black rollercoaster ride, but natural, and this time he seriously considered the fact that he has just shadowtraveled back into his own body.

He opens his eyes, and the first thing he notices is a pair of bright blue eyes, before there is a sobbing Will hugging him. Will pulls back a little, and starts yelling through the tears.

"I thought you were dead! Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"Sure, sunshine. Now mind getting off me?" He's aching all over, but he knows he'll be fine. Nico smiles weakly at Will, whose expression had changed to include indignation. However, there was no mistaking the relief etched in his face. Will gapes at him a little, then lets out a little half-sob-half-laugh, and presses his lips to Nico's.

Nico's face bursts into flames, his eyes widen, and the kiss lasts only half a second before Will is pulling back.

Will looks terrified. "Oh, crap." They stare at each other for half a minute, then Nico breaks the silence. "Well, Hades was right." He pauses.

Before he could say anything else, Will cuts in. "Shit, Nico, I'm sorry! Oh gods..." He's backing away in horror and fear, and yeah, Nico is initially confused for half a second before remembering that Will likes him.

He likes you too.

"Will, stop." Will doesn't stop, too busy blabbling apologies and Nico can see the pain in his eyes, and geez, how did he fall for this guy again?

When Will keeps going, muttering things, Nico shuts him up by kissing him. Will freezes, than starts to kiss him back.

When they break apart, hours or weeks later, Nico doesn't know, Nico has a great big smile and Will is grinning, both boys red-faced but happy.

"You talk too much, sunshine."

 **A/N: Okay, and...cut!** ***cringes at computer* First ever romance and I already feel like hiding in a hole for the rest of enternity.**

 **Uh, I don't really have an excuse for nearly abandoning _Reactions_ , but uh, if it consoles you, I have a plan to write the next chapter.**

 **I feel like my writing in previous chapters were horribly inadequate, and I will do my best to edit them and get them fixed.** **Thanks for putting up with me, I'll just shut up now..** **-csf**


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